Multi-position switch operating mechanism for adjustment of a vehicle seat

ABSTRACT

An actuating device for controlling the operation of a vehicle seat includes a central block movable about a central block shaft in four different directions to execute four distinct adjustment functions. A handle housing is mounted on a shaft perpendicular to the central block shaft. The handle housing is rotatable in fifth and sixth directions to execute distinct fifth and sixth adjustment functions.

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to an operating mechanism for an automobile seatwith several electrically and/or pneumatically operated adjusting units.

An operating mechanism of this type is disclosed by German Patent 35 17346. It is used to operate a total of 3 adjusting units including forthe tilt adjustment of the backrest, for the height adjustment of theseat, and for horizontal shifting of the seat. However a total of 3operating parts combined as a unit are necessary for this, each of whichrequires a distinct control in each case before its actuation, forexample by testing its spatial position and/or its variable surfacestructure so that the proper operating part for the desired adjustingunit is recognized, engaged, and operated. This is disadvantageous.

It is also a drawback that the 3 operating parts of the known operatingmechanism can be operated only by traction in one direction, so thatonly one function can be triggered by this for the particular associatedadjusting unit, for example, unlocking a mechanism locked in thequiescent state, or opening a pneumatic valve that is closed in the reststate. This is inadequate for many applications such as for automobileseat operating mechanisms, since the modern luxury seats of today thatare adjusted by electric motor or pneumatically require two functionsfor each possible adjustment. For example, in the case of a heightadjustment by electric motor, the seat has to be adjustable optionallyupward from the bottom and in the reverse direction downward from thetop, i.e., the operating mechanism alone must be able to trigger twofunctions for the height adjustment of the seat by electric motor.

It is the purpose of this invention to provide an operating mechanismfor automobile seats that is constructed with only one operating part asa so-called single-handle operating mechanism in order to avoid theinconvenient recognition and selection of a single operating part out ofseveral, and that can nevertheless trigger a total of at least 6functions in logical correlation with the adjusting units of anautomobile seat.

This problem is solved pursuant to the invention by the fact that theoperating mechanism has a central block that extends partly, i.e., by afirst component, into a fastening case, and with another section, i.e.,with a second component, into a handle housing, with the central blockbeing mounted on a central block shaft that is located in the fasteningcase and can move on the central block in the axial direction relativeto the fastening case, and can pivot around the central block shaft. Thehandle housing is mounted on and can pivot around a handle housing shaftthat is fastened to the central block shaft perpendicular to the centralblock. An electric or pneumatic operating element is associated witheach of the relative motions that the handle housing can executerelative to the central block and/or the central block can executerelative to the fastening case, the operating elements either beingfastened to the central block, the handle housing or the fastening casehousing.

A particularly beneficial embodiment of the invention provides that thecentral block is essentially completely enclosed by the fastening caseon the one hand and by the handle housing on the other, so that thecentral block and the operating elements are located inside the housingenclosure protected against damage and contamination, and the operatingmechanism as a whole can be given an essentially closed externalesthetic form.

The central block is an essential part of the new operating mechanism.It carries the handle housing shaft and thus the only operating handleof the mechanism. It is possible with no problems by means of the singlehandle to move and pivot the central block on its central block shaftinside the fastening case, by which motions of the central block can beexecuted optionally in a total of 4 directions relative to the fasteningcase, which are sensed by electric or pneumatic operating elementspositioned in or on the particular path of motion and converting theparticular relative motion executed into a logic function.

Independently of the motions of the central block relative to thefastening case, the single handle can be pivoted around its handlehousing shaft relative to the central block. This produces two furtherlogic functions, depending on whether the single handle is pivoted inone direction or the other.

A refinement of the operating mechanism described above is provided bythe single handle optionally being movable with its handle housing shaftrelative to the central block in the direction of the handle housingshaft. This permits two further logic functions that can be utilized,for example, for adjusting units to be operated less frequently.

In all of the structural embodiments of the invention, the electricand/or pneumatic operating elements which sense the particular motion ofthe handle housing relative to the central block and/or of the centralblock relative to the fastening case can be fastened either to thecentral block or to the particular housing of the fastening case or thehandle.

If the operating mechanism is equipped with pneumatic operating elementsin the form of on/off valves, then a particularly desirable embodimentof the invention provides that all of the operating elements areintegrated into the central block, by drilling it as a multiple valvebody, for example, with internal compressed air branches so that thevalve body or the central block needs only a supply line for compressedair, and the compressed air passages to the individual pneumaticallyoperated adjusting units of the automobile seat are controlled throughthe individual tappets of the on/off valves that project into theparticular paths of motion of the relative motions.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

An example of embodiment of the invention will be described in detailbelow with reference to the drawings. The drawings show:

FIG. 1 is a perspective illustration of an operating mechanism pursuantto the invention,

FIGS. 2-4 are cross sectional views taken along lines 2--2, 3--3 and4--4 through an operating mechanism corresponding to FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The perspective illustration of the operating mechanism in FIG. 1 showsthe fastening case 5, the handle housing 6, and the central block 7located inside the housing.

The central block 7 is mounted to move and pivot on a shaft 8, which inturn is held in the fastening case 5 in its outer case wall. FIG. 2 andFIG. 4 shows this more precisely.

The central block 7 located on the shaft 8 is held in its centralposition (see FIG. 2) by the two cylinder springs 9 and 10 and canoptionally be moved axially on the shaft as illustrated to the right orto the left against the pressure of one of the springs 9 and 10.

The central block is moved axially by means of the handle housing orsingle handle 6, which is the only operating part or handlepiece thatthe illustrated operating mechanism has.

The single handle 6 is connected to the central block 7 by the handlehousing shaft 11. When the single handle is moved in its long direction,i.e., parallel to the central block shaft 8, then the central block,depending on its direction of motion, operates either the operatingelement 13 or the operating element 14 by means of its projecting part12, each of which is mounted on the rear wall of the fastening case 5.The operating elements 13 and 14 in the illustrated example ofembodiment control in logical correlation the adjusting unit of theautomobile seat that causes the horizontal shifting of the seathorizontally toward the front or toward the rear.

When the single handle 6 in the illustration of FIG. 1 is moved upwardor downward, perpendicular to its long dimension, then this pivots thecentral block 7 upward or downward around the central block shaft 8.

This pivoting motion is sensed by the two operating elements 15 and 16,which are likewise permanently mounted on the fastening case 5 theoperating element 15 being located above the central block shaft 8 andthe operating element 16 being located below the central block shaft 8(see FIGS. 3 and 4). As illustrated in FIG. 3, there is a limit screw 17with a compression spring 18 associated with each of these operatingelements, which limits the pivoting motion of the central block 7 in onepivoting direction or the other and provides a central pivoting motionrest position of the central block 7 by means of the compression spring18.

The aforementioned operating elements 15 and 16 in the illustratedexample of embodiment in logical correlation control the adjusting unitof the automobile seat that causes the height adjustment of the seatupward or downward.

The single-handle 6 can also be pivoted around its handle housing shaft11. In the illustration of FIG. 1, it is then no longer flush with thefastening case 5, but slopes downward or upward relative to it by anangle. The operating elements 19 or 20, which are fastened to thecentral block 7 but extend into the handle housing 6, are then actuated,so that they are actuated by the handle housing when the single-handleis pivoted.

In logical correlation, the operating elements 19 and 20 in theillustrated example of embodiment control the adjusting unit of anautomobile seat that causes the tilting of the seat surface.

In the illustrated example of embodiment, two outer edges 21 and 22 ofthe central block 7 extend into the handle housing of the single handle6, so that the latter cannot be excessively rotated when the seatsurface is tilted, i.e., when the single handle 6 is pivoted around itshandle housing shaft 11. A leaf spring or the like (not shown) can beprovided to center the single handle 6 on its handle housing shaft 11.

In the operating mechanism described above, each of the operatingelements 13, 14, 15, 16, 19, 20 is designed as an electrical operatingswitch for electrically actuated adjusting units of the automobile seat,but pneumatic operating valves can also be provided in the same way forpneumatically operated seat adjusting units.

We claim:
 1. An actuating device for controlling the operation of avehicle seat, said seat having first, second, third, fourth, fifth, andsixth adjustment functions, said actuating device comprising a fasteningcase, a central block shaft having an axis and mounted in said fasteningcase, a central block mounted on said central block shaft, said centralblock being movable in opposite first and second directions along theaxis of said central block shaft and being pivotable in opposite thirdand fourth directions about the axis of said central block shaft, ahandle housing shaft having an axis and mounted on said central block inperpendicular relation to said central block shaft, a handle housingmounted on said handle housing shaft, said handle housing beingrotatable in opposite fifth and sixth directions with respect to theaxis of said handle housing shaft, switch means actuated in response tomovement of said central block in either of said first, second, third,or fourth, directions for controlling said first, second, third, orfourth, adjustment functions, respectively, and switch means actuated inresponse to movement of said handle housing in either of said fifth orsixth directions for controlling said fifth or sixth adjustmentfunctions, respectively.